Quick to Hope
by Lucy Hallowell
Summary: A Paily beginnings story told by Emily Fields (written by Valerie Anne) and Paige McCullers (written by Lucy Hallowell). Set once upon a time when Ali D. roamed the halls of Rosewood High bringing destruction to everything she touched. Updates here and on PunkyStarshine's page.
1. Chapter 1

"Nice job out there today."

The door to my locker bangs against my forehead as I jump at the sound of her voice and look to see her face. "Shit," I whisper and rub my forehead. Please don't have noticed, please don't have noticed.

"Are you okay? That looked like it really hurt," her face is less than two feet away, her eyes focusing on the spot I can feel swelling above my eyebrow. "Stop rubbing it, let me look." I obey her stern but warm voice. "Does that hurt?" The tips of her fingers barely graze the skin tightening over the bump and I wince. "Oh, sorry." She bends her head down so she's level with me. I blink back the tears forming. I wish my heart wouldn't thump so loudly when she's close enough to hear it.

"I'm okay. It's nothing," I manage to say as I try to escape.

"It's not. Sit down," she says and steers me to the bench. "You should see the nurse, or at least let me get you an ice pack."

"Oh no, I'm okay. Just embarrassed," I say with a smile despite the throbbing above my eye.

"Paige," I look up at the sound of my name. "You aren't okay. It's turning a nasty shade of purple already. Don't move. I'll be right back," she says patting me on the shoulder.

Halfway across the locker room she looks back at me and smiles. My entire body feels like it's been coated in the icy hot stuff the trainers give us. I duck my head and stare at the floor as a grin overwhelms my face.

My warm up pants are stuck in my sneaker. I fix them before she gets back and try to comb my hair with my fingers. Emily strolls through the center of the locker room rolling the ice pack between her hands. "Look at me," she says when she stops two feet in front of me. I look up and she surveys my face while chewing the inside of her cheek. She wraps the ice pack in a towel and drops down into a crouch in front of me. She smells like chlorine and vanilla. My heart races. "It's starting to get really cold so use the towel or it might burn your skin." She reaches to put the ice on my forehead but I blush and take it from her.

"Thanks." She takes the seat next to me. "Oh, you don't have to stay. I'll be okay, I promise." I hope she stays.

"It's fine. I don't have anywhere to be and apparently you need protection from the dangers of lockers." Her eyes sparkle as she teases me. If she keeps talking to me I might need to move the ice pack to my cheeks.

"Do not," I shoot back but then she smiles again. "Fine, maybe I'm a little clumsy. But you shouldn't sneak up on a person like that."

"Like what? Like starting a conversation?" She's laughing at me and I want to be mad, I try to scowl but my face refuses to do anything but smile at her.

"Whatever," I grumble and shake my head which is a terrible plan. I wince as the throbbing increases.

"Are you okay?" She leans forward and tip my chin up with a gentle push under my chin. Her eyes dart all over my face before settling on my eyes. "Your eyes look normal." She looks away for an instant. "I mean, I took a first aid class to be a lifeguard and your eyes don't look like you have a concussion or anything." There's less than six inches between our noses. I have to remind myself to breathe and hope desperately that my breath doesn't smell bad.

She rests her hands on her thighs as she crouches in front of me and I concentrate on them instead of looking at her face. Her hands are nothing like mine. They are elegant, her nails are painted, and they are entirely free of the small cuts I always have on mine. She lifts one hand and her fingers graze the back of my hand as she takes the ice pack off my brow. We catch each other's eyes and then both look away.

"Sorry," she breathes.

"It's okay."

She smiles and looks at the lump. "It looks better, but you should keep the ice. Promise you'll go to the nurse of it feels worse?"

I nod slowly, unable to break eye contact. "I promise, Emily."

"Good," she says with smile and she claps both of her hands on the tops of my thighs and pushes herself to standing. "We can't have you miss any time in the pool." She smirks and my heart pounds.

"True. Who else would kick your ass at practice everyday?"

She tosses her head back and laughs, her still damp hair sways around her shoulders. "You wish, McCullers."

I look at the floor. I ruined it. She called me Paige, then I mouthed off and now I'm back to "McCullers."

"Emily?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For the ice and for sitting with me." Shit. When I hear my voice it's too full of the feeling of my pounding heart and my lungs that can barely expand.

"You're welcome. Watch out for lockers next time." I look at the floor. "I have to go. My mom is coming to pick me up."

"Oh, okay," I try to hide my disappointment.

"Will you promise to get it looked at if it gets worse?"

I nod without looking up.

"Paige, look at me." She has her hands on her hips and her hair tossed to one side. "Promise me."

"I promise, Emily." She smiles and rocks forward on the balls of her feet when I agree. She waves as she walks out of the locker room. Once she rounds the corner of the lockers I smile too.


	2. Chapter 2

"Em!" Ali's sharp tone snaps me out of my daydream. "What is with you today?"

Ali is in front of me, holding up two dresses she had taken from the rack next to us. I have no idea what she was just saying, but I try to jump back in.

"I like the blue one better," I say, gesturing to the dress in her left hand. Ali gives her head a little shake of disbelief. Her eyes are still harsh, but her voice takes on a gentler tone.

"Where were you just now?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking about someone on my swim team. She hit her head today and I was just hoping she's okay." I feel my cheeks flush and hope Ali doesn't notice. Who am I kidding, Ali never misses anything. I quickly turn to the rack next to me and pretend to be extremely interested in the row of skirts.

"Where's Spencer?" I ask, desperate for a change of subject. "Didn't she say she needed a new skirt?"

I glance at Ali and see her eyes still fixated on my face, her eyes narrow and her lips turned up slightly, giving the hint of a devious smile. I swallow hard, not daring to breathe before she makes her next move.

"I didn't invite Spencer," she says, reaching out and putting her hand on my arm. I meet her eyes and her voice gets low, "I wanted you all to myself." I feel all the air leave my lungs and I get that lightheaded feeling I only get around Ali. I smile a small smile and look down at the floor, gathering the courage to look her in the eye again.

When I do, she considers me for a moment before her whole face shifts, even her body becomes looser, and she suddenly looks and sounds casual again, as though a spell has been lifted.

"I like the blue one better, too, but the red one will turn more heads." Ali shoves the blue dress back on the rack and wanders over to a mirror, pressing the red dress against her body.

I take a deep breath, my senses starting to return to normal now that Ali's eyes aren't locked on me, and follow her as she abandons the mirror for another rack of dresses.

* * *

Ali is filling Hanna in on the dress she bought while the two blondes wait for me to finish getting my books out of my locker. As I put my last book in my bag, a familiar face appears next to me.

"Paige, hi!" Paige's eyes light up a little as she returns my greeting.

"I just wanted to thank you again for yesterday. I'm feeling good as new, and accident free for one whole day!" she says, laughing nervously.

I feel a smile spread across my face, "No problem, that's great to hear." We meet each other's eyes for a second, then both quickly look at the ground. I can feel my heart racing, though I don't know why I'm so nervous. I look up again, and open my mouth to speak, but I'm interrupted by the sound of my locker door slamming shut. Paige and I both turn with a start to see Ali glaring back at us, Hanna standing next to her, fidgeting nervously with the sleeve of her baggy sweatshirt.

"Let's go, Emily. We're going to be late."

"Late for-"

"I said let's go." Ali's voice is sharp and stern. I have no idea what made her upset, maybe something Hanna told her? All I know is that when Ali sounds like that, it's best to just do what she says.

I turn back to Paige, who has lost all the color in her face. "I'll see you at practice tomorrow." I mumble, adjusting the bag on my shoulder. Paige nods as Ali grabs my arm and drags me down the hall. I don't know what upset me more, the terror on Paige's face or the pain in my arm from where Ali's nails are digging into my skin, but when we get through the front doors of the school, I pull my arm out of Ali's grasp.

"What was that for?" I ask in a tone harsher than I would normally dare use with my best friend.

Ali shrugs. "I told Spencer we'd go to her house after school." Her voice is cool and even, as if she hadn't just nearly pulled my arm out of my socket for no reason.

Bewildered, I look to Hanna for support. Her eyes grow wide and she gives a small, sharp shake of her head, silently urging me to drop it. Defeated, I sigh and keep my mouth shut as I once again follow Ali, who is heading over to where Aria waits at the bottom of the school's front stairs. I glance back at the doors, sending mental apologies to Paige, hoping Ali's tantrum won't make her avoid me at our next swim practice.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Youth is easily deceived because it is quick to hope ~ Aristotle**_

The lights hum overhead in the deserted locker room. I weave my way through the benches before landing in front of my locker. The scrape of the latch echoes through the empty room, sound careening back at me. I wince as the door squeaks open revealing the biology textbook I left the night before. When I pull it out of the back of the dark locker an envelope falls to the floor.

A voice calls out as I reach down to pick it back up. "Hey!" When I look up to see who it is I bump the back of my head into the bottom of my locker door. "Careful," Emily says emerging from the shadow of the lockers, eyes wide, hands reaching out to guide my head away from the locker door. "You should wear a helmet."

"You should stop sneaking up on me." I grumble as I rub the bump emerging on the back of my skull.

"What are you doing here so early?" Emily asks pulling her locker open and stuffing her bag into the tight space.

I wiggle the text book in my hand. "Forgot this last night so I came early so I can do the homework before class."

"See you at practice, Paige," she says with a smile that makes my stomach swoop up into my throat. Her hair bounces off her shoulders as she walks to the exit. The door clangs closed behind her and I sit down on the bench to stuff the book into my backpack. In the middle of hitting my head on my locker I didn't pick up the envelope. I reach down and pick it up.

It says only "Paige" on the front of the lavender envelope in plain writing that I don't recognize immediately. I slide my finger under the flap and open the envelope. Inside is a single sheet of lilac paper folded in half.

I suck my breath in through my teeth at the sight of the heading. "From the desk of Emily Fields" is printed in curly script at the top of the page. My heart crashes against my ribs. My lungs refuse to expand. I look around the room, wondering if anyone is around. Curiosity overwhelms me and I open the note again and start reading.

_Paige,_

_I had to write you this note because I can't keep my feelings to myself any longer. It's been torture getting changed next to you all season and not saying anything about the way you make me feel. _

_I think you are beautiful…_

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I stop reading and scan the locker room. This is a joke. No one thinks I'm beautiful. Certainly not Emily Fields. Someone is going to run up and take a picture of me or something. The sound of my heart beating echoes in my ears. My hands are shaking so hard I almost drop the note. When no one appears I return to reading.

_I think you are beautiful and sexy. Seeing you in school makes me feel so happy. When you smile I can't help but think about kissing you, touching you._

My face is on fire. I try to swallow but my mouth is dry. I look around the room again and wet my lips. This can't be real.

_Sometimes I catch you looking at me and I think you like me too but are too shy to say anything. I want to be with you. Please tell me you feel the same way. If you do, leave me a note in front of the Brew under the sandwich board on Friday._

_I'll be waiting._

_Emily_

I let the note fold in half in my hand and sit, my skin covered in cold sweat, my hands tingling so much they hurt. Shallow breaths are all I can manage. I unfold the note and read it again. When I reach the part where she calls me beautiful the door to the locker room opens and I hear voices. I jam the note back into its envelope and shove it to the bottom of my back pack.

"Paige, what are you doing here?" Coach asks on her way to her office.

"Left a book in my locker, Coach." I bellow at her as I race out the door. The hallway is much brighter than the locker room and I have to squint until my eyes adjust. The clock tells me I have fifteen minutes before my first class. I find an empty bench and sit to go over my biology homework. But when I sit down I can't think. The movement from the locker room to the hallway and then to the bench kept my brain from spinning. Now I can't stop thinking about the note, the words on that purple paper, and Emily.

Laughter erupts at a nearby picnic table and I look up and see Emily sitting with her friends. Aria and Hanna have their back to me, Spencer is standing with her arm crossed, and Emily is seated facing me. She catches me looking at her and I drop my head and stare at my lap, my fingers working the fabric of my jeans.

"She's beautiful, don't you think, Pigskin?" Ali's voice hisses in my ear. "She's so far out of your league. She'd never look twice at you, dyke."

My eyes dart around the courtyard trying to see if anyone heard Ali. No one is looking at us, no one ever sees me when she's around, no one ever hears when she talks to me. No one knows. But then Emily looks at me, smiles, and waves. I remember the note sitting in the bottom of my bag and I turn so I can look Ali in the eye. She pulls her head back, narrows her eyes at me, and smirks.

"You got something to say, Pigskin?"

I turn and look at Emily. "Not today," I say unable to stop smiling. Today Emily Fields left me a note. Today Emily Fields told me I'm beautiful. Today, Ali can't touch me.

I gaze across the courtyard as Ali slides into the seat next to Emily. Their conversation stalls, Emily looks away from me. Ali starts talking, the others lean in, and then laugh. Emily flicks her eyes at me and then blushes. "Stop," I hear her say to her friends over the noise. The bell rings and I leave for class without opening my text book.

Emily and I don't share any classes before lunch and I only catch a brief glimpse of her in the hallway between my math and English. I offer a wave but she doesn't see me or maybe she's avoiding me. Maybe Ali said something to her about me. Maybe it's all a big joke on me. Of course it's a joke. How stupid could I be to think Emily Fields would think of me that way? She's beautiful and kind and popular and I'm none of those things.


End file.
